Political economy examines the reciprocal relationships between politics and markets, both within and among countries, using a variety of analytical tools, including those of economics. Its concerns include interactions among economic and political development; cooperation and conflict among nations, groups, and individuals; the distribution of material resources and political power; the effects of political actors and institutions on economic outcomes; the causes and consequences of technological and structural change, growth, and globalization; and regulation.
The MAPE program offers a quantitatively rigorous curriculum rooted in economic and political theory, application, and analysis. Students have the opportunity to gain experience with economic and mathematical modeling along with a deep understanding of how and why policies are developed and implemented.